Offset bender



A. G. SADLER OFFSET BENDER Filed June 18. 1958 oct. 13, 1959 R E m m m W I 4 OFFSET BENDER Alexander G. Sadler, `Overland Park, Kans. Application June 18, 1958, Serial No. 742,937

Y 3 Claims. 4`(Cl. 153-39) This invention relates-to improvements in` tools or machines for bendingmetal pipe, bars and thelike, and

United States Patent() more particularly to a tool or machine formaking bends Aand offsets in rigid electricalconduit, metal pipe or tubing by simultaneously bending opposite end` portions thereof.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a metal conduit bending machine with spaced stationary abutments on a base cooperating with spaced movable abutments on a pivoted platform whereby a rigid metal conduit is engaged' by the abutments to make accurate offsets in the conduit in responsetto rotary move- `ment ofthe platformggto provide suchl abending mai chine wherein Vthe abutments are adjustable onthel base and platform to alter the relative positioning andthe offset-performed thereby; to provide such a bending machine in which all adjustments and manipulations of the work are made from the top thereof; to providesuch a bending machine with extensible power means for pivoting the platform and effecting the bend inthe conduit; to provide such. a conduit or metal pipe bending machine that is economical to manufacture andthat is eiiicient in use for quickly, `easily and accurately making bends and offsets of various sizes without` danger of attening thin wall conduits or tubing; andto provide such abending rugged design and by using a few interchangeable parts the one machine will serve for a ywide range of work both Yas to size of bendsand kind of pipe or rod.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the followingdescription taken I in connection withthe accompanyingldrawings, Awherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

Fig. l is a plan view ofthe-bending machine 'with the A parts moved to bend an offset in conduit.

' Fig. 2 is a side elevation ofthe bendingmachine.

Fig. 3 is a transversesectional view through Athe vbending machine on the line 3-.3,Fig. l. t

Fig.` 4 is a transverse .sectional iviewmthroughthe .bending machineon ,the line 4 4, Fig. .1.

Referring more in detail to Vthe drawings: 1 `designateswa rigid .basemember or plate having an elongate central portion 2 terminating in .endportions 3 ,and 4 arrangedin. angular relation theretowhereby said .end portions arein offset parallel relation to .each other.

The base member is `preferably-of.Acast2metalr and int. cludeswa horizontalwall Shaving depending sidewalls l owith lower edges* 7..adap.ted to rest` on a suitable table ...or other support whereby the upper Aface 8of therwall 5 .is substantiallyin a horizontalrplane. Anrupstanding 4bearing post.or..pivot pin 9 is :arranged onIthe wall 5 midway between the ,end .portions 3 :and 4.whereby. said post extends. upwardlyfron theface. 8.1of ther-base memwber.

Ithe base, and in-.the illustrated structurehas a=threaded shank. 10.015 ,reducedsizrevextending through a hole 11 Min. 'the'.wall 5..with -alnut ,12, Y,threadedon theA lower1 end The .post 9-is preferably cylindrical and-fixed to of said shank to draw a`shoulder 14 on the lower end 2,908,317- Y Patented Oct.13 1959 ice '2 of the post into engagement with the face 8.of thebase. Bearing plates or .Washers 15..and 16 are sleeved onthe Vpost in superimposed relation with the lower platev 15 resting on the upper face 8 of. the base member. l platform or rotary .member- 17 preferably `in theform one leg 24 being parallel and slidably engaged between pairs of spaced rails .25 and 26 'that are upstanding from ltheupper 'face 27 of the platform 17, withrthe bottom face 23 of saidabutment members resting on-the-upper face of said platform. -The pairs of rails 25 andz26 areV parallel and are spaced ou opposite sides oftadiameter of the platform, as illustrated in Eig. 1; whereby lthe other legs 29 of each of said abutment members extend beyond said diameter.

The legs 29 each have recesses `3th extending therein from the lendsof thefrespective legs to form a yoke-like structureiwith -vertically aligned apertures 31 extendingV therethrough tomount pins 32 to pivotally mount grooved contactpiecesor shoes 33. The contact piecesr33 are preferablyl oval in shape,with grooves 331in the sides thereof,. withthe radiuseof the grooves of suitable'size relative to-,theradius .machine wherein the parts are simple in form and of i said conduit. diametric plane relative to the platform 17 whereby. the grooved portion of the lcontact members or shoes r33 of the conduit to bebent to properly receive and engage The pins32 are preferablyinafvertical :adapted to engage a conduit 34 to be bentareonlopi posite sides of said plane relative toA the legs 24 of-the abutment-members. The platform, 17 has spaced rows y of threaded-apertures 35 betweenEthe-rails 25 and "26, i and the abutments 20 and 21 have -correspondingespaced rows of apertures 36 arranged whereby pairsofsaid apertures can ybe registered with the `threaded `,apertures 35 for receivingv fasteningv devicessuch as screws 37 for securing the abutments in selected adjusted position. This provides an adjustment wherebythe contact-members or shoesr33 may'fbe selectively movedginwardly or l outwardly relative to Ithe :axis of .theA post 9` to varylhe bend, as later described.

t Upstanding brackets orA abutment members 38 and .39 are adjustably mounted on the lend portions 3 'and 4 of the base 1 respectively in oppositely facing relation,

with -bottom faces 40 of said brackets engaging. the upper faces of the base. Each of the brackets has an end 41 engaging an upstanding rail 42 on'the remote sideoflthe -respectiveend portions 3 and 4, with the other ends 43 of .-said abutment members` 38 and 39. extending fromfthe f opposite sides of the respective end `portions and terminating substantially in a vertical plane extendingthrough.` the axisof'the platform 17 whereby the bracket members 38 f and 39 are disposed on opposite sides of said platform, as

illustratedin Fig. 1. The ends 43` of the brackets 38..and 39 are recessed or yoke-shaped to receive conduit contact members or shoes. 44rthat are pivotally mountedv on i pins 45 extending verticallythroughV the yoke-shaped ends 43 of the brackets 38and- 39. The contact members or shoesv 33 fand'. 44 are each pivotally mounted onaaxes parallel to the axis ofthe post^9,A and each has grooves in ,the side :faceswhereby when a .conduit-is engaged with saidfgrooves at'ftherbottoms thereofgthe-conduit is in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the post 9. The

' duit will have exact parallel alignment.

"grooves 45 in the sides of the shoes 44 preferably extend therearound whereby the shoes may be removed andV turned to present a different conduit-engaging surface for different sizes or toincrease the wear of the shoes.

The end portions 3 and4 have. spaced rows of threaded post 9, and the apertures 47 aligned with the apertures 46 and suitable fastening devices such as screws l48 inserted therein to secure thebrackets in selected adjusted position.

The conduit 34 may be placed in ythe machine in en- .'.gagement with the shoes 44 and extending between the shoes 33. Then, by rotation of 1the platform 17 in a 4counterclockwise direction (Fig. 1), the shoes 33 are engaged with the conduit and further rotation will bend the conduit to elect an oiset therein. If the shoes of each pair are set at equal distances from the axis of the post 9, the offsets will be made and the end portions of the con- It is preferable that the platform 17 be rotated by power means. In the illustrated structure, an extension 49 extends laterally from the end portion 4 of the base with suitable ribs 50 to reinforce same. The extension has an ear 51 to which is pivotally connected by a pin 52 an extensible member `53, the other end of the extensible member being pivotally connected as by a pin 54 with a lug 55 secured to the rotor 17. In the illustrated structure, there are a plurality of holes 56 adjacent the periphery of the platform, and the lug 55 has a flange 57 extending thereover and selectively registeredwith pairs of holes 56 whereby fastening devices '8 secure the lug in selected adjusted position and the limit of the extension of the extensible member 53 is the limit of the bending movement of the platform 17 thereby limiting `the offset placed in the conduit. In the illustrated structure, the extensible member 53 is a hydraulic ram with a cylinder 59 having one end connected to the ear 51, with a piston rod 60 extending a piston 61 through the other end y62 of the cylinder and pivotally connected to the lug 55. The ram is preferably of the single-acting type, with a spring 63 sleeved on the piston rod 60 and having one end engaged with a piston 61 to urge the ram into contracted position. A pressure hose `64 is connected to the cylinder adjacent the end toward the extension 49, with the other end communicating with a pump 65 for supplying iluid pressure to the extensible member to effect extension of same. A suitable valve 66 is arranged v on the pump whereby the fluid can be bled from the cylinder to a conduit 67 communicating with a reservoiry (not shown) whereby the spring can contract the ram. The pump 65 is preferably operated by a hand-le `68 to supply the uid pressure to extend the ram and elect bending rotation of the platform and shoes thereon to bend the conduit.

By moving the lug 55 -to the right on the platform 17, the eEective bending rotation of the platform is increased, thereby increasing the bend or offset in the conduit or pipe being bent. Also, moving the abutment members 2.0 and 2.1k inwardly toward the post 9 will reduce the spacing between the parallel ends of the conduit. Moving the abutment members 20 and 21 outwardly relative to the post will increase the spacing between the parallel ends of the conduit. All adjustments of the brackets or abutments for moving the shoes are made from the top of the machine, and by removing the pin 54 to disconnect the' piston rod from the lug 55, the platform, together with the structure thereon, can be raised and removed from the post 9. While conduit, pipe and the like may be bent in various offsets, single bends may also be made up to 90 degrees by removing the bracket 38 whereby the conduit is engaged only by the shoes 33 on the platform and the shoe 44 carried by the bracket 39. Also, for offsets larger than are feasible in use of a given size machine, a single bend may be made and the work piece turned over and positioned to complete the bending in the usual Way.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A conduit and tubing bending machine comprising, an elongate base plate'having a center portion and oppositely extending offset parallel end portions, a bearing post extending from the center portion of the base plate substantially midway of said end portions, aplatform rotatably mounted on said bearing post, a pair of movable brackets on said platform vin dimetrically opposite and in oppositely facing relation, stationary brackets on the end portions of the base plate in oppositely facing relation to the respective adjacent bracket on the platform, bending shoes pivotally mounted on each of said brackets for pivotal movement on respective axes that are parallel to the bearing post axis, all of said shoes being in a single plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the platform, said shoes having grooved faces for engaging a conduit to be bent, said shoes being on the facing portions of the respective movable brackets and stationaryrbrackets whereby a conduit to be bent is placed between the shoes of the brackets on the platform and opposite end portions are engaged on opposite sides by shoes on adjacent movable and stationary brackets, and an extensible member having one end pivotally connected to the base plate and another end pivotally connected to the platform adjacent the periphery thereof for rotating said platform to move the shoes on the brackets of the platform toward the adjacent stationary shoes on the brackets on the end portions of the base plate to bend the conduit therebetween in response to extension of said extensible member.

2. A conduit and tubing bending machine comprising, a base plate, an upstanding bearing post on the base plate substantially midway thereof, a platform rotatably mounted on said bearing post, a pair of brackets on the platform in diametrically opposite relation, spaced pairs of rails in parallel relation on the platform and engaged by said brackets and defining paths for movement of thel brackets toward and away from the axis of rotation of the platform for adjusting the spacing therebetween, means securing the brackets to the platform in selected position, movable shoes mounted on facing portions of said brackets, a stationary bracket on the base plate at one side of the platform, means securing the stationary bracket to the base plate at selected spacing from the adjacent movable shoe, shoes mounted on the stationary bracket at the adjacent end thereof, said shoe on the stationary bracket engaging a conduit to be bent and cooperating with the adjacent movable shoe to engage opposite sides of a conduit l whereby a conduit to be bent is placed between the movable shoes and opposite sides thereof engaged by adjacent movable andv stationary shoes, an hydraulic extensible member, means pivotally mounting one end of said hydraulic extensible member on the base plate, a lug adjustably mounted on the platform adjacent the periphery thereof, means pivotally connecting the other end of the t hydraulic extensible member to the lug whereby extension of the extensible member rotates the platform and moves the movable shoes toward the adjacent stationary shoe to bend a conduit therebetween.

3. A conduit and tubing bending machine comprising,

Y a base plate having a center portion and oppositely exmeans securing the brackets to the platform in selected position, movable shoes pivotally mounted on facing portions of said brackets, said movable shoes having grooved faces for engaging a conduit to be bent, stationary brackets on the end portions of the base plate in oppositely facing directions, means securing the stationary brackets to the base plate end portions at selected spacing from the adjacent movable shoes, shoes pivotally mounted on the respective stationary brackets at the adjacent ends thereof, said shoes on the stationary brackets having grooved faces for engaging a conduit to be bent and cooperating with the adjacent movable shoe to engage opposite sides of a conduit whereby a conduit to be bent is placed between the movable shoes and opposite sides thereof engaged by adjacent movable and stationary shoes, an hydraulic extensible member, means pivotally mounting one References Cited in the le of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS France Apr. 20, 1945 OTHER REFERENCES Original Peddinghaus, pages 5, 14, 15, German publication received in U.S. Patent Oice .Tune 10, 1953. 

